Page 48 of Ashes of Betrayal

The rider nearest, an angular man with hawkish features and long red hair tied back at the nape, viewed Cailean with interest before his attention shifted to Skaal. The fae hound had halted at Feannag’s side.

The man who had the bearing of this group’s captain turned his attention to Cailean once more, raking his gaze over him. “I’ve heard the High King’s chief-enforcer travels with a fae hound.” His gravelly voice carried in the still morning air. “But I didn’t expect to meet either of you today.”

Bree’s racing pulse slowed, relief washing over her. Clearly, word hadn’t reached Cannich of Cailean mac Brochan’s demise.

“Aye, well … you have,” Cailean drawled back, and it struck Bree how easily he slipped back into his old role. It fitted him so well. Did he miss the power he’d wielded, the awe and respect he inspired among the Marav?

“And what brings you to the far north, mac Brochan?”

“The High King’s business.”

The captain raised ruddy eyebrows. “Aye?”

“Aye.”

An awkward silence followed, swelling until the captain’s brow furrowed. “I suppose that’s to be expected,” he grumbled. “Since he’s traveling north too.”

Bree’s breath caught at this news, while Cailean’s broad back tensed against her. However, he recovered swiftly. “The High King is expecting me to meet him at Cannich. Do you know how far away from the fort he is?”

“I’m not sure,” the captain replied. “Although his armies had reached Dulross around five days ago.”

Bree’s heart kicked. She hadn’t expected Talorc mac Brude to leave the safety of Duncrag, especially now—and the discovery that he was bringing an army into The Uplands made her uneasy. What was the bastard up to?

“I will wait for him at Cannich then,” Cailean replied, his tone offhand now.

The captain cast him another probing look. “The overking will be pleased to see you, mac Brochan. He has many questions about the High King’s plans.”

Cailean gave a non-committal grunt, making it clear that he’d only share what mac Brude had permitted him to.

The captain scowled at the chief-enforcer’s rude response.

Another silence fell, and Bree started to sweat. They reminded her of a pair of stags in rutting season: staring each other down, deciding whether it was worth locking horns.

Moments passed, and the captain urged his horse on, raising his hand to let his company know they were on the move again.

As he passed Cailean, the two men eyeballed each other. The captain then took a good look at Bree. Her skin prickled under his inspection. It was likely none of these warriors knew that the High King’s chief-enforcer had taken a wife. But even if they had, they’d be wondering why he was traveling with her, alone, in the northern reaches of The Uplands.

“You enjoyed that, didn’t you?” she muttered as Cailean urged Feannag into a canter, and they left the company of warriors behind.

Cailean snorted. “Aye … until I learned that the High King is on his way.”

“That was a surprise,” Bree admitted. “What’s he planning?”

“No idea.” He paused a moment, tension rippling through his big body once more. “You said there was an army rallying at the gates of Duncrag nearly a moon ago?”

“Aye … a sea of wolf, stag, and shield banners was camped there,” she replied. “Although I thought they’d gathered todefendthe capital.”

“They might have been,” he answered, his voice hardening. “But clearly … something has changed.”

22: DO WHAT YOU MUST

CAILEAN GAZED UP at Cannich’s heavily defended walls, warmth suffusing his chest.

Returning here was a homecoming of sorts. Despite that he’d spent most of the last decade based at Duncrag, he’d often traveled to the northern capital. The overking could be trying, yet even he couldn’t ruin the fort for him.

He was an Uplander by birth, after all.

Cailean knew Cannich’s labyrinthine wynds well and appreciated its remote setting, perched upon the large flat summit of a rock cliff, ringed by high stone walls. The fort resembled a solid grey crown upon a giant’s weatherbeaten head.

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